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Briefing

Long ago extremist Hammerites took street waifs and levered and bruised their minds through dominant persuasions to their dogmatic beliefs. The boy Jack was one such - grateful when I freed him whilst unshining a bloated temple of its gold one stormy night. Though my seeming compassion was styled only for fear he'd rouse alarm, I did pity him a little, gave him provision, and set him up to go his own way. Indeed, he later took the name Midcoat from an old grey cloak with which I warmed him.

Jack Midcoat, now a young man and loosed of Hammerite influence 'cept their flowery tongue, surprised me recently turning up with information for a job - my kind of job. I was cautious and unenthusiastic... till He said he'd worked as nightwatchman on Lord Drakon's estate - a retreat in the mountains.

Now Drakon was never a lord - but lorded himself round in grand style after adopting a dragon symbol as his crest to pretend some ancestral credibility. They say he even invented the surname because of a notion his forebears were blooded from dragons in the old world when both black, white, and even gold alchemy held sway.

The building has been inhabited by different sects and over the centuries has been abandoned and partly rebuilt several times leaving a bad mix of styles but its outer perimeter is very secure. No burgling thief, not even I, had ever managed to enter this mountain stronghold, though I'd scouted near several times. There's no weakness in its high stone walls hoisted on steepest rock and the few outer doors yield only from within. Below, in the forests, Drakon has imported strange dangerous beasts from far lands to restrict access to walled or raised paths. You could hear these creatures shrieking terrible cries in the night but few had seen them and lived. Huge striped cats, giant horse-like creatures with long snouts, and monstrous lizards thought dead long ago. It is an evil place and I will not venture there.

Jack had been discharged for trysting with Gwendoline, warded as a child to Drakon by her father - a soldier with whom Drakon had been acquainted but gone to the wars. She pined for freedom from the arrangement and now grown, still does. The young couple kept their affair secret until it became obvious to all that Gwendoline was with child.

Drakon was furious and refused to agree to a marriage. With my skills and his knowledge of the place, Jack hopes to fund an elopement with booty. He has always had nerve - naive courage when needed, I'll grant him that.

With false papers and Jack's help I've secured the empty nightwatch post for myself under the name Treskit. Jack tells me I will have access to the courtyard, the nearby staff kitchen for refreshment, and probably the sick room through the guardroom. Most guards and servants will know I am in service so I should not be challenged or attacked here but I need to take great care - especially if I poke my nose into rooms I should not. It might not be easy to tell where I can walk freely so I'd better be cautious everywhere. And if any of Drakon's personal elite guards even see me they are not likely to show any mercy. They guard the private household and secure areas. They are even feared by the ordinary grunts.

Drakon has been investigated by the local police many times for various suspicious activities but nothing proven. The police commissioner, Lord Henry Sharpe, is Drakon's sworn enemy. Drakon despises him for his persistent inquiries. Knowing Sharpe's usual methods, he may well have a man on the inside so I had better be extra careful. Hard to be sure though because Sharpe himself has been unavailable for some time.

Jack says Drakon dotes on his treasures, most specially his boasted pride, a gold shield and perhaps a sword he calls his 'Edge'. There is also a gold dragon and possibly a gold book. He even saw Lady Drakon wearing a very valuable bracelet. The old place creaks like a tree crouched with heavy fruit!

I can only smuggle in my smallest tools: lockpicks and such. Gwendoline will innocently admit Midcoat to tryst one more time in the garden balcony she loves. From there, Midcoat will bring my other equipment, including an interesting power shield potion I've not tried yet and hope I never do. He will climb the old south east watchtower with a rope arrow I've given him, then wait for me to meet him up in the tower.

One possible avenue of deeper entry into the private areas of the retreat is via the outer access door to an unused attic that Jack spotted. Probably an old equipment hoist or loading bay long abandoned.

I explained a few do's and don'ts to Jack if he's to work with me. Most especially he's to keep back while I'm scouting ahead and only advance to where I signal - I'll show him a glove. The blabber already told the girl about this. At least she only thinks he's going exploring for buried treasure but I wish he'd just keep his mouth shut.

I work alone, and once further inside I plan to divert Midcoat to some easy route to garner what he can while I do the real harvesting. He has the heart of a cornered bull burrick but knows naught of thieving and will probably fall over his own feet. Well, I sure as hell don't go out nights to babysit and any distraction might serve me well.

We'll escape by the unused east gatehouse. Midcoat procured the only keys long ago and pleased Gwendoline there many nights. She keeps some provisions and possessions there so we can lie low in it as a safe house if necessary before leaving. Alternatively, I've heard Drakon is somehow tapping mountain spring waters that used to flow freely down to the village. Now, with less water flowing to them they have to pay Drakon especially during the summer. Perhaps a waterway might offer an alternate route of some kind. I always like a backup plan.

Background to Gold Magick:

Long ago there were many great mages practicing white magic. But some were alarmed that spells developed for good were used for evil. A thunderbolt to strike down a monster could also be used against the innocent. Several sects dedicated themselves to finding an answer. They needed unity of mind to give them strength so they sought a common focus. Precious gold presented an ideal centre for them to use in their inner incantations. But they were weak and distracted by temptation. They spelled in unison to purify themselves for long months, purging their thoughts and binding together in purpose.

At long last they succeeded. Their integrity shone like the gold they used. They formed the Golden Sects: the Sect of the Gold Magic, the Goldcraft, the Gold Waterlight and many others, all united in one purpose. And the spells they now evoked could no longer be used for anything but good. Should any try then this new magic would turn on its user and destroy him utterly.

But the very weaknesses they had purged out unified too and formed a dread spirit, an immortal demon that lived only for treasures. The Horath crystalized in form, awful and empowered, and threatened to take all man's wealth for itself alone. So the Gold Magick mages spelled it captive in lonely isolation where it endured its gold lust without hope of satisfaction, festering in agony and hatred.

Long years it suffered there, till it could suffer no more. It must have treasures or its immortality was worthless. It called on Death itself for help. Swore away its eternal life in exchange for a mortal life with some treasure. The deal was made but the Horath was paid only in Death's own cheap coin. The Horath, in a fury, threw away the miserable token, hoping to break the agreement. But Death's deal once done ... cannot be undone. Ever.

Now they watched and waited, guiding and influencing mankind's destiny. But a greater threat came to their attention. They foresaw the Beast itself, a fearsome dragon, long gone in ancient times, might rise again. It would seek not merely man's treasures but his blood and his soul.

Yet they also foresaw one who, without realizing or even caring, would be most instrumental in its downfall.

They prepared, preserving themselves for a thousand years so focused in gold they froze, minds completely still, unknowing, with but one of their number, the Lady of the Gold Waterlight, who remained in dread wakefulness, to watch over them. A challenge of guile and courage was arranged to filter out the unworthy; proving the one who should come, the lowest of the low, a common thief, and to release the full might of their influence at the rightful time...

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